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Title: Front contact solar cell with formed emitter

Abstract

A bipolar solar cell includes a backside junction formed by an N-type silicon substrate and a P-type polysilicon emitter formed on the backside of the solar cell. An antireflection layer may be formed on a textured front surface of the silicon substrate. A negative polarity metal contact on the front side of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the substrate, while a positive polarity metal contact on the backside of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the polysilicon emitter. An external electrical circuit may be connected to the negative and positive metal contacts to be powered by the solar cell. The positive polarity metal contact may form an infrared reflecting layer with an underlying dielectric layer for increased solar radiation collection.

Inventors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SunPower Corporation, San Jose, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1163238
Patent Number(s):
8,878,053
Application Number:
13/495,577
Assignee:
SunPower Corporation (San Jose, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
FC36-076017043
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2012 Jun 13
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats

Cousins, Peter John. Front contact solar cell with formed emitter. United States: N. p., 2014. Web.
Cousins, Peter John. Front contact solar cell with formed emitter. United States.
Cousins, Peter John. 2014. "Front contact solar cell with formed emitter". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1163238.
@article{osti_1163238,
title = {Front contact solar cell with formed emitter},
author = {Cousins, Peter John},
abstractNote = {A bipolar solar cell includes a backside junction formed by an N-type silicon substrate and a P-type polysilicon emitter formed on the backside of the solar cell. An antireflection layer may be formed on a textured front surface of the silicon substrate. A negative polarity metal contact on the front side of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the substrate, while a positive polarity metal contact on the backside of the solar cell makes an electrical connection to the polysilicon emitter. An external electrical circuit may be connected to the negative and positive metal contacts to be powered by the solar cell. The positive polarity metal contact may form an infrared reflecting layer with an underlying dielectric layer for increased solar radiation collection.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1163238}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Tue Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}

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